The Veil of Death
by FallenPrinceLoki
Summary: He made a promise, one the the reaper wanted to prevent him from keeping.


Leonardo understood why Ezio loved it on the rooftops. The calm breeze carried away the stench and negative energy from the city, he could listen to conversations without being noticed and the view was breath taking. Up here, no one was hunting him, he was free. Leonardo remembered the first night he was brought to the top of this tower; it was similar to this night except Ezio was with him, holding him tight as they stood on the perch that over looked the vast city below. A small tear slid down the painter's cheek, pulling his knees to his chest he remembered plain as the night sky what Ezio had said to him that night, before he would leave Roma on a mission that he couldn't tell Leonardo about.

"Il mio amore, I will return to you. Chains, bars nor death will not be enough to keep me from returning to you."

That was four months ago. Leonardo watched him leave, that playful smirk was exchanged for a worried smile. Almost like he didn't believe what he had said himself. He jumped from the roof, sending Leonardo's heart into his throat and disappeared like death sent from the depths of hell.

Another tear fell, disappearing into the fabric of his breeches. The night sky brought out all the stars as they danced to the quite song the wind played. The painter felt hollow and alone. He wasn't able to create and his insatiable curiosity had been dulled. The thought of death loomed in the back of his mind. There were many times that Ezio would disappear for months at a time, with no word. But this seemed different. He could always feel the assassin in his heart and soul. Now, they felt cold and empty. A feeling he didn't know he was capable of feeling. There were no longer whispers on the streets of the famed assassino, nor from the lips of guards. The roofs were void of his shadow and the church bells only tolled for Sunday mass. Roma felt empty. She wasn't the same without Ezio looking over her.

"You promised me Ezio." Leonardo whispered. No one but the night heard his whisper. Wiping away the tears he shed, he stood and walked off the perch, refusing to look back where his love had left him so long ago. Leonardo climbed down the ladders that Ezio put up for him, knowing he couldn't climb like him. Once his boot touched the cold flagstone street, Leonardo pulled cape around him and silently walked back to his bottega. His head down, he trudged on. Forgetting about the wonders of the world around him, the treasures the night always brought and the good people that fought in Ezio's absence.

Leonardo rounded a darkened corner, the door to his bottega in sight and now, an assassin, one of Ezio's, Mazzia he believed his name was.

"Maestro Da Vinci…"

"Do you have word?" Leonardo interrupted, the bitterness of his voice bit into the flesh of the assassin standing before him.

"No maestro, mi dispiace. I actually came to…"

"Please, leave me. I do not wish to speak to anyone."

"Si messer Da Vinci. I will leave you." Mezzia replied. Bowing gently he scaled the wall of Leonardo's home; white robes disappeared into the night.

Leonardo stood in the silence. He did not mean to snap at the young assassin. After all, they protected him and brought him news whenever they had any, though none of it was of Ezio, their leader. Sighing loudly, he opened his door and walked in. Shutting out the world, and all the pain and despair it carried with it.

His workshop was dimly lit, only a few candles throughout. Just as it was when he left, when he ventured out of the protective bonds of his home and into the waiting city.

Leonardo was about to remove his beret and cape before a soft knock arrived at his door.

"Cazzo. They just do not get it do they." He growled. Stomping across the floor the flung the door open, getting ready to berate the person who dared to bother him this late. Only, no one was standing there. A few courtesans turned and looked at him with bewildered eyes before they went on their way. Confused, Leonardo looked back into his workshop then back outside. No one was there but he knew he heard the knock. He stepped outside and looked around, thinking that perhaps that some kids were trying to play a cruel prank on him. But he saw nothing, nothing at all. Just before he turned to go inside bells thundered in the church tower, they sounded frantic like someone was in the city that wasn't supposed to be there. Leonardo's heart leapt into his throat, he had not heard the bells ring like that since before the night Ezio left him alone.

"It can't be…" Leonardo whispered to himself. He had to see what was going on. People were now filling the streets, curious as to why the bells were ringing. Leonardo ran down the alley next to his home, away from the onlookers. He didn't know how long he had traveled the narrow alley ways but the bells had been silenced. In their silence brought more guards and he heard it, something about an assassin found back in the city. His heart pounded. He slowed his pace in hopes of not gathering suspicion when he caught a glimpse of something ahead of him. He went after the curious thing that dared enter his vision. He followed it until he slipped in a small puddle of blood. Looking around, he needed to find the owner of the blood, his eyes settled on a black heap next to a few crates where the alley hit a dead end.

"Merda…" he ran to it, and once he got closer his worst fears were answered. It was Ezio, but he was ashen.

"Cazzo! Ezio! Mio dio Ezio, what happened to you?" His voice was cracking with fear and urgency. He pulled at the assassins robes and rolled his friend over to reveal the nature of his wounds.

"Oh….my. Ezio…you must wake up now!"

A slap echoed in the dark alley as the artist desperately tried to revive his fallen friend. Ezio wasn't moving at all. His skin hardly reddened from the slap and could barely feel the breath from Ezio's nose or mouth. His face was cold and clammy. Ezio was close the black veil of death, and it was claiming him fast. He couldn't watch his friend die, not here. Not alone like this on the cold flagstones in an alleyway. Leonardo was at a loss, it was like his mind was in a fog, for the first time in his life he didn't know what to do to help Ezio and he felt helpless.

He didn't hear the footsteps rapidly approaching him or the hurried voices until they were already on him.

"Maestro Da Vinci, come…we must get him off the streets."

It all seemed in slow motion. When Leonardo turned around, a group of Assassins and Courtesans stood waiting to take him away. All he could do was nod and let them. He followed them, his footsteps and heart pounding in rapid succession through his head. Their voices were muffled, he couldn't lock onto anyone. He was still in shock at the sight he found his beloved in, so much blood, the scent of death that lingered around him. He didn't know if Ezio was still alive, he slapped him and he didn't move, not even a twitch. Leonardo went to where his feet carried him, back to Ezio's hideout. A place he hadn't seen in person for a very long time. All he could do was stand in the room, white robes blurring around him, smiles and tears ghosted past him. He just stood locked in a trance. He was being guided to a fire, and told to sit down. All he could do was watch the flames as they danced to the sound of his own heartbeat. Losing all track of time, the painter just sat there in his own pit of despair.

Days had passed since Ezio was brought in off the streets, and Leonardo sat broken in the same chair. Not moving, not eating or sleeping. In his mind, he had just seen his friend's death and it played over and over.

"Leonardo…."

He heard his name many times while he was there, but there was something different about it this time. He wanted to see the owner of that familiar sounding voice but fear gripped him and he lowered his eyes to the floor, staring at the fibers in the carpet. Still feeling it was all in head, he sat in silence.

"Leonardo…"

No, he refused to learn Ezio's fate. He didn't think his heart could handle any more heart break and sadness. He could see boots standing in front of him, and those he convinced himself could belong to anyone in the brotherhood, but he still refused to respond to the owner of that voice.

"Il mio amore…please, speak to me."

He felt a warm hand touch his cheek. Those hands, they were familiar. Leonardo couldn't help it anymore, he knew those hands and it meant it wasn't all in his head. Tears began to fall uncontrollably as quiet sobs wracked his body. His gaze was filled with the worried face of his fallen angel, his Ezio.

"You are a ghost. You do not exist." Leonardo said his voice barely a whisper.

"No amore, I am here. I am no ghost."

Lips met his, that familiar scar touched him. They were warm, not cold and dead. Ezio was alive and was here.

Leonardo broke down, all the composure he tried to have shattered. He threw himself onto Ezio, crushing him in a bone jarring hug, ignoring the pained hiss he received from the assassin. He felt all the sadness and pain in his heart leave him when the assassin's strong arms wrapped around him.

"I thought you were dead. You didn't move and you…" Leonardo cried.

"I told you nothing would keep me from returning to you. Not even death itself." Ezio whispered.


End file.
